Diamond In The Rough
by Sk1ns
Summary: Freddie awaits his death. When his friend Cook arrives, Freddie fears his death too. But he knows Cook would do anything to save his dear friend. Cook eventually saves his friend but is it the end?
1. Chapter 1- Freddie

The pain was so unbearable, Freddie could barely open an eye, let alone move. Freddie couldn't even sleep. He'd been lying in his own pool of blood, naked, for days. Every time he tried to sleep it was just a reminder of the baseball bat and Mr. Foster, just a reminder that he could die any moment and nobody was here to save him. He needed his sleep. Freddie thought if he didn't sleep soon, then he'd die from sleep deprivation instead. Not only did Freddie see death when he closed his eyes, but he saw Effy, his Mum, Karen, JJ, Cook, all of his friends, and occasionally his Dad. He saw everyone that had ever loved him. Everyone he would hurt physically if he died right now. Freddie silently laughed to himself. Nobody would know that he'd be dead, unless Foster announced it publicly. The evening sun shone through the basement windows of John Foster's home. Psychiatrist. More like psycho murderer. A cool breeze flew past Freddie. Slowly and painfully he moved his head to see that the window had been opened. He wasn't alone. Freddie cleared his throat. Every inch of him ached terribly but he couldn't do a thing.

"Cook?" Freddie wheezed. "Cook? If you're here, hide! Foster's coming. He'll kill you." A tear rolled down his cheek as he tried to speak. If Cook was here, he hoped his quite wheezes were enough. A door opened, boxes crashed, and a light flickered on. Cook was indeed in the room and face to face with Foster. Cook spotted Freddie's blood splattered clothes and shoes.

"What have you done?" He asked angrily.

"Don't be stupid, Cook. She told me all about you, too. There was so much to correct in that girl. I almost managed it. Perhaps I still can." Foster held the baseball bat tightly, ready to swing any moment. If Cook spotted Freddie and attempted to safe him, they'd die together. Foster would murder them both. Effy would have no one except JJ. It was a suicide mission. Cook was on a suicide mission.

"You did something to my friend?" Cook asked. Concluding that Foster had murdered Freddie.

"This is wasting time. Would you kneel down please?" Foster asked as he raised the bat.

"Mr. Foster." Cook pleaded. Freddie wanted so badly to save his friend, but he couldn't, he just couldn't. A grunt left Cook's lips as Freddie watched him fly into a pile of boxes. 'This is it.' Freddie thought. Foster's won. Effy's all his but, Cook began to laugh. He was crazy for always laughing in the face of fear and danger, sometimes even death. Cook stood back up and glared at Foster. "I don't think you know what I am, mate." Cook always seemed to be face to face with some psycho. Whether it be drug dealers, drunken wankers, his Dad or all three. He was always ready to challenge them.

"I think I do. You're nothing. You don't deserve that girl. And, you know, I do." Was Foster fucking mental? Of course he was, but if he'd ever lay a hand on Effy, Freddie would make sure his fists personally met and introduced themselves to John Foster's face.

"I'm a fucking waste of space. I'm just a stupid kid. I've got no sense. Criminal. I'm no fucking use, mate. I am nothing." Cook spat out words of hatred towards himself and Freddie disagreed with every one of them. _You're my best friend, JJ's too. You're our third musketeer. Effy loves you_. All those thoughts should be flooding Cook's head but instead they flooded Freddie's. "So please. Please, get it into your, you know, thick skull, that you killed my friend." Cook shoved Foster. Freddie awaited the death of his friend. He wanted to call out to Cook, but he was just too weak. "And... I'm Cook! I'M COOK!" Cook threw himself at Foster. Hitting him left, right, and center. Freddie watched as his friend, savior, and musketeer stood up. He watched him glance over.

"Freddie!" Freddie gave a small sigh of relief." I'm gonna get you out of here, mate. I'll call the ambulance." At that the only last words Freddie heard escaped from Cook's mouth. _It's an emergency. Come quick._ and _It's going to be okay, mate._ Then there was darkness.


	2. Chapter 2- Effy

Before Effy had met Freddie, she believed she was insanely different compared to everyone. Inside, she felt empty. Like a bottle, she was empty. She didn't feel things the way she was supposed to. She was lost. The frail end of a friendship bracelet. Everyone belonged to the world, but Effy didn't. When Effy met Freddie, her whole world lit up. He was her light to guide her through darkness. He was her Romeo, but she didn't feel like Juliet. Freddie made her laugh. Made her smile, and not the sarcastic, fake, eat shit smile. A real and genuine smile. Effy knew in her heart that Freddie would never stay. Eventually he would get tired Stop trying to chase a girl who was long gone. Effy began to think about Cook, and that's when it crossed her mind. Her and Cook were alike in so many ways. They both were reckless and never gave a fuck. Everything they ever had in their lives turned to nothing. Both had been in prison. Although, Effy's was white walls and Cook's was metal bars, they were still alike. Above all, they'd both pushed Freddie to the point where he just walked away. Effy hadn't heard from Freddie in days. Not since he'd held her and told Foster to fuck off because he wasn't needed. This worried Effy. Everywhere she went, her phone was on. Every time the phone rang, she wanted it to be Freddie. When it wasn't Freddie, her heart sank into her stomach. Effy let her head fall onto the back of the couch as she took a long drag of her cigarette. Effy closed her eyes as she exhaled the smoke, seeing Freddie's face, a small smile came across hers and she snapped back to reality. Pandora stood in front of her.

"You alright, Eff?" Pandora asked, a hint of concern in her voice as Thomas wrapped his arms around her.

"Just peachy." Effy mumbled. Her phone buzzed to remind her that it was now midnight. Freddie's birthday. Effy put her cigarette into the ashtray and walked outside. Dialing Freddie's number, she waited for his voice. 'Hey.' "Freddie!" _This is Freddie. Sorry I can't answer the phone. I'll get to you when I can._ Effy's heart sank. Voicemail. "Freddie. Happy Birthday. I hope you're okay. Cook and I... I mean, I'm sorry. I love you. Please come home. I miss you." Effy ended the voicemail trying so hard not to cry, but choking back tears anyway. Shortly after her phone rang. Freddie's name flashing across the screen. Effy answered the phone at lightning speed. "Freddie?!" A voice that wasn't Freddie's spoke back.

"No. You mental? It's Cook." The boy chuckled.

"Oh..." Effy mumbled disappointment in her voice.

"Freddie needs you, Eff. He needs you." Cook begged.

"Cook! Where is he? Where are you?" Effy cried.

"Just come to the hospital, okay?" Cook hung up the phone and Effy was left standing in the rain. Tears and rain drops falling down her cheeks.

Effy hadn't been to the hospital since her brother, Tony, had been hit by the bus a couple years back. She made her way through the dimly lit hallways as if she lived there. She heard Freddie's voice in her head, as if he were leading her to him. Freddie's voice got louder as she got closer and closer. She spotted Cook by the door.

"Cook! Where is he?" Cook pointed to the door. Effy ran in and stopped dead in her tracks. Hands covered her mouth as more tears ran down her face. The same beeping noice she heard when it was Tony rang through her ears for a second time. Most importantly it told her that Freddie was alive, that he was still there. Freddie was battered, bruised, and cut up. Effy let out a cry as she sat down. "Why am I not scared?" She mumbled to herself. "I need to be scared." Bandages covered Freddie's arms, some still covered in blood. Effy reached out a trembling hand but pulled back immediately. She was too afraid to touch him. Scared she'd hurt him again.

"Eff... You came." Freddie wheezed. Effy didn't know what to say.

"Shh." She lightly pressed a finger against his lips. "All that matters is were together. We'll be together." She placed her hand lightly on his cheek now.

"No, Eff." He mumbled.

"What? Why not?" Effy asked panicking.

"Because I'll break your heart." Freddie turned his head to smile at her. Together their eyes met and they just stared at one another through tears.

"Maybe, I'll break yours!" Effy smirked. Freddie smiled too. Both remembering this same conversation they had, the first time they had met.


	3. Chapter Three- Good Girls, Bad Guys

"Freddie? Freddie!" Freddie opened his eyes to see his sister Karen peering over him.

"Ugh, Karen. Get off me, yeah?" Freddie rubbed his eyes as Karen stood up. "What are you doing in my room anyway?" Pushing himself up, Karen rushed to him.

"Let me help." She said as she proceeded to fluff up his pillows. Freddie snatched it from her.

"I'm fine! Leave!" He snapped. Karen rolled her eyes and stormed out. Why did she think the world revolved around her? Maybe because from day one she was treated like the sun shone from her arse. A knock at the door made Freddie jump. "Karen, if that's you, fuck off!" The door opened and in walked Effy and Cook. "If you're here to tell me you fucked Effy or you love Cook now, I don't want to hear it." Freddie rolled onto his side, a tear rolling down his bruised cheek as pain welled up inside him.

"What, mate? No! We're here to talk. Keep you company, yeah?" Cook sat at the foot of Freddie's bed while Effy stayed rooted to the spot. "Spliff Freds?" Cook asked as he lit a joint. Freddie rolled back over and sat up.

"Yeah sure." He neared himself closer to Cook and just as he was about to grab the joint he slapped Cook over the head. "Are you fucking mental? I can't smoke, you twat. I'm on heavy meds." For a moment there was utter silence and then everyone laughed. Freddie had definitely missed this. "Eff? You going to come over here?" Freddie asked, concern covering his face. Effy shuffled over and sat down. Freddie ran his fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her forehead. "So what happened?" Freddie asked. He seemed to be the only one talking.

"Foster beat you to a pulp, mate. I rescued you and that wankers in jail now." Cook answered taking a long drag before exhaling.

"Thanks for that, Cook." Freddie patted Cook's shoulder and stole the joint from him. Pressing it between his lips he inhaled, heavily taking it all in and the exhaled. "Is this what my life is now? Nightmares and waking up in cold sweats because of that dick? I can't do this anymore. Fucking hell. For fuck's sake. He should've just killed me. Why'd I have to live?" Freddie took another long drag.

"Freddie! Don't you dare. Don't you fucking dare. Don't fucking tell me you'd rather be dead than be with me." Effy looked furious as Freddie shook his head.

"That's not what I meant, Eff."

"Don't think that way ever again." Tears rolled down Effy's cheeks as she buried her face into Freddie's chest. Seeing Effy cry hurt Freddie most of all.

"I'm so fucking sorry." Freddie replied, kissing her on the forehead again.

"Guys look what I found." Cook picked up a notebook and flipped through the pages. "Dear Effy, I fucking miss you. All day, everyday. And you can't even imagine how pathetic it makes me feel, because I don't know if you miss me back." Cook chuckled. "Mate, you're in love, yeah?"

"Yeah." Freddie smiled.

"What's it feel like?" Cook asked.

"It's amazing, brilliant, electrifying, undefinable. But sometimes it makes you mad." Freddie smiled at Effy again.

"Mad?" Effy and Cook spoke in unison.

"Yeah. Because that's exactly what loves supposed to do." Good girls and bad guys? More like lost girls and semi innocent guys.


End file.
